For example, the itinerary I had made for myself got shot to hell in the first day, but the one I ended up doing was the one I needed. Today’s recommendation from a hospitalera at an albergue not yet open lead to an incredible experience and was exactly what I needed. Por ejemplo, el itinerario que tenía pensado no hice ningún caso después del primer día, pero el itinerario que hice era el itinerario que me hacía falta. La recomendación de este día de una hospitalera de un albergue que todavía estaba cerrado me dio una experiencia genial y exactamente lo que necesitaba.

On Sunday, I woke up at 6:30 and was out the door by 7. I ate my picnic on the way, cursing the Banco Santander cash machine for not working (which meant an extra 3€ for taking cash out of a bank that wasn’t my own). Many young adults were returning from an all-night party in the next barrio, Poo (pronounced “poh”. Nothing brown and sticky about it.) I’ve heard good things about the beach in Poo and saw postcards of it. However, unless I wanted to go out of my way, I wouldn’t see the beach. Thank God there was a woman with a cute German Shepherd to tell me which was the shortest route.

Poo was closed up tight, as it was before 8:00 on a Sunday. I continued on. I am not a morning person, but there is something about walking as the world is waking up that I love. The views were every bit as beautiful as the days prior. Todo estaba cerrado en Poo, como era antes de las 8.00 en domingo. Seguí. No me gusta madrugar, pero hay algo de caminar mientras el mundo está despertándose. Las vistas eran tan bonitas como los días anteriores.

The Camino took me through some beautiful mountain views and a church on the lake. It was something spiritual. I had totally forgotten about how much I loved this church on the lake until reading about it in the Eroski guide to refresh my memory. El Camino me llevó por vistas por el monte y una iglesia en un lago tranquilo. Me habló espiritualmente. Ya se me había olvidado tanto que me encantó esa iglesia por el lago antes de leer el guía de Eroski otra vez para recordarme la memoria.

An hour or so later, I stopped again for another café, and ran into the annoying peregrinos AGAIN! I was nice and translated for them. I asked the barista if the dirt path went to the same place as the road, and she shrugged, saying yes and had prettier views. I went with that Camino when the annoying peregrinos went with the road, and I finally lost them. I don’t know why some people get on my nerves as they’re probably really nice people. I just really prefer to be alone to listen to the Camino.

I arrived to Piñeres de Pria after getting lost on my Camino alternativo. Oops. I missed Nueva and the chance to stock up on food, as there is poca cosa in Piñeres. I had heard good things about the hospitalera in Piñeres, but when I arrived she shooed me away, saying she was closed until 14.30 and I would be better off at the other albergue. I had heard she was one of the nicest, but she seemed pretty rude. I met some other peregrinos (Catalanes and Valencianos.!) who were also heading to the other albergue. Llegué a Piñeres de Pria después de perderme por el Camino alternativo. Vaya. Perdí Nueva y la oportunidad de comprar comida, como hay poca cosa en Piñeres. Me habían dicho cosas buenas de la hospitalera en Piñeres, pero cuando llegué, me dijo que sería mejor si fuera al otro porque estaba cerrado hasta las 14.30. Dicen que es una de las hospitaleras más majas, pero me parecía bastante borde. Conocí a otros peregrinos (catalanes y valencianos) quien también estaban yendo al otro albergue.

700 metres later, and we arrived to a cow field with views of an incredible mountain. The hospitalero, Manuel, was super friendly and welcoming. The albergue was in a building that was 400 years old, but it was one of my favourites, despite no wifi. There are more important things than wifi! I left my bag and went to the only restaurant nearby, a horribly expensive bar with mediocre food. 16€ and it wasn’t even a menú del día. So beware, bring food. A unos 700 kilómetros después, llegamos a un campo lleno de vacas con vistas increíbles de un monte. El hospitalero, Manuel, era muy majo y acogedor. El albergue estaba ubicado en un edificio de 400 años de historia, pero era uno de mis preferidos aunque no tuviera wifi. Hay cosas más importantes que wifi. Dejé la mochila y fui al único restaurante por la zona, un bar muy caro con comida mediocre. 16€ y ni era un menú del día. Entonces, os aviso…llevar comida.

I went back, paid the 6€ for the bed, had my siesta, wrote in my journal, made friends with the Spanish peregrinos, welcomed the Riojano who was walking by and having a very slow day (he wanted to go on to Ribadesella, and it was already 18:00 when he passed by the albergue. Volví al albergue, pagué 6€ para la cama, dormí una siesta, escribí en el diario de viajes, hice buenas migas con los peregrinos españoles, charlé con el riojano que estaba pasando. El riojano iba muy lento pero quería llegar a Ribadesella y ya eran 18.00 cuando pasé el albergue.

The views were amazing, and the constant cowbells weren’t annoying (that sounds sarcastic, but it’s not). I ended up buying a package of pasta for dinner for 2.50 from the albergue owner. I didn’t want to cook at all (I hate cooking and am very bad at it), but it was one of the best meals of the Camino as I ate with my new peregrino friends. ¡Hola si estáis leyendo eso! The place wasn’t where I had intended to stay, but it was where the Camino needed me to stay! Las vistas eran preciosas, y las campañas de vacas no me molestaban. Compré un paquete de pasta para cenar. El albergue tenía por 2,50. No quería cocinar, como no me gusta nada y soy mal cocinero, pero era de las mejores comidas por el Camino porque cené con mis amigos nuevos del peregrino. No era el sitio donde tenía pensado dormir, pero era donde el Camino me quería dormir.

Little did I know my Camino was about to end sooner than I wanted. No sabía que mi Camino iba a acabar más pronto que quería.

A continuación.

Hike #21/40 of 2016Date/Fecha: 21-08-2016Kilometres hiked: 22ishMountain: Some pendientes, especially if you get lost like I did.Difficulty: Moderate.